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Members can also sign up for FranklinCovey’s 7 Habits Coach 10-episode webcast series designed to help navigate real problems in challenging times. The series will be delivered daily for 10 days to help you:
- Focus on what you can influence when there is a lot out of your control.
- Get the skills to prioritize in the midst of overwhelming outside forces.
- Apply timeless principles to preserve relationships with family, friends and colleagues in times of stress.
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Register Now |
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Commitment and Accountability—Keys To Recruiting and Retaining Your Workforce


Date: |
Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 |
Register Now |
Time: |
3 p.m. ET |
Length: |
60 minutes |
Speaker(s): |
Saied Alavi, Marek; Lorri Grayson, GGA Construction; Karen Say-Valadez, Saybr Contractors, Inc. |
Moderator: |
Mike Bellaman, Associated Builders and Contractors |
Webinar Description
Given today’s construction workforce shortages, it takes leadership commitment to create the conditions and culture for all to be welcomed—providing the opportunities for all employees to achieve their career dreams. Join ABC construction industry leaders in discussing the powerful impact of an inclusive culture and a robust employee value proposition for growing and developing your workforce.
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SPEAKER INFO
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Saied Alavi has worked many different roles at Marek, one of the nation’s leading interior finish contractors, over the last 41 years. He spent over 20 years in his role as director of operations and managing director, supporting recruitment and training of new talent for the office, and field positions. His goal has been to recruit the right people, train them well and help them replace you.
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Lorri H. Grayson, founder and partner of GGA Construction, in Middletown, Delaware, is the 2023 Mid-Atlantic region vice chair of Associated Builders and Contractors. Grayson has been active in the ABC Delaware Chapter since 2007 and served as chair of its board of directors in 2015. Since founding GGA Construction, Grayson has led her company to specialize in institutional, hospitality, medical and corporate office, mixed-use and multifamily housing projects.
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Karen Say-Valadez is the CEO of Saybr Contractors Inc., which she founded from her home in 1997, as an environmental construction company specializing in commercial and industrial fueling systems and environmental remediation. Since then, Saybr has grown into a $30 million, full-service general contractor with experience performing vertical and horizontal construction throughout the Pacific Northwest.
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MODERATOR INFO
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Michael D. Bellaman has served as president and chief executive officer of Associated Builders and Contractors, a national trade association representing more than 22,000 members from 68 chapters across the United States, since 2011. In his role, Bellaman leverages the merit shop philosophy to help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work.
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Achieving Supplier Diversity—the Merit Shop Way


Date: |
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 |
Watch Now |
Time: |
3 p.m. ET |
Length: |
60 minutes |
Speakers: |
Indria Hollingsworth, JE Dunn Construction; Yvette Stevens, P.E., Gilbane Building Co.; Calvin Williams, Construction Contracting Services Inc. |
Moderator: |
Brad Lewis, Hensel Phelps |
Webinar Description
Supplier diversity is proven to provide economic benefits and improve opportunities for all in the industry. Discover how a commitment to inclusiveness and awarding work based on merit is key for construction buyers to create the conditions for diverse contractors to feel welcomed and appreciated for the unique value they bring to the construction field. Join this panel as they share and explore practical means and methods to provide the authentic opportunity for all contractors to compete on a fair and level playing field.
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SPEAKERS INFO
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Indria Hollingsworth is the south-central regional senior diversity, equity and inclusion manager for JE Dunn Construction. In this role, she supports offices in Austin, Texas, Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, advocating for equity in the marketplace, workplace and workforce. Hollingsworth actively promotes JE Dunn through participation in industry events and demonstrates a passion for the industry.
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Yvette N. Stevens, P.E., PMP is vice president, director of economic inclusion at Gilbane Building Co., a global construction and facilities management firm. In this enterprise leadership role, she leads Gilbane’s corporate economic inclusion strategies, including its industry-leading commitment to award $4 billion to minority-, veteran- and women-owned businesses, as well as Disadvantaged and LGBT Business Enterprises, over a five-year horizon.
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Calvin E. Williams is founder and CEO of Construction Contracting Services Inc., a general contracting firm that specializes in vertical construction, provides construction consulting and performs construction advisory services. Formerly, Williams was a project manager with Walsh Construction, one of Chicago’s largest and most respected general contracting, construction management and design-build firms. His experience in commercial construction is broad and varied, and his projects span across all sectors from commercial, local and state government to higher education.
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MODERATOR INFO
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Brad Lewis, MCA, has more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry with Hensel Phelps. He started as a field engineer and working his way up to a superintendent position, where he learned the importance of fostering relationships with owners, trade partners, community leaders and vendors to enhance project and community initiatives. Lewis is the chair of the ABC Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee, which he has served on for eight years.
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Workplace Culture: How Culture Drives Business and Unlocks Performance

Date: |
Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 |
Register Now |
Time: |
3 p.m. ET |
Length: |
60 minutes |
Speakers: |
Anita Woolley Nelson, Skanska USA Building Inc.; Kevin Sell, United Group Services; Yasmeen Tonnos, Procore |
Moderator: |
Sasha Reed, Procore |
Webinar Description
Join a panel of ABC leaders, members and partners to discover how a focus on total human health is key to creating an inclusive workplace culture. Learn about the practical steps that leaders are taking, the key metrics they’re using and the building blocks they’re deploying to drive business performance. You’ll walk away from this session with an understanding of how focusing on the four dimensions of a human—body, heart, mind and soul—is key to unlocking the full potential of your people.
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SPEAKERS INFO
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Kevin Sell is CVO of United Group Services, a Cincinnati industrial construction firm that works throughout the country. He also provides corporate oversight for Elite Welding Academy, Core Crew, PMS and Innovative Mechanical Services. In addition, Sell serves as a U.S. Department of Labor special government employee.
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Anita Woolley Nelson is chief strategy officer for Skanska USA Building, a leading construction firm in the United States. With over 20 years in the industry and exceptional knowledge of the construction market and associated sectors, she collaborates with leaders across the company to identify, develop and implement strategic and operational initiatives that ensure the health, resiliency and sustainability of the business.
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Yasmeen Tonnos has focused her career on culture transformation, leadership development and supporting organizations through change management. Tonnos is an Ernst & Young alumni and a certified coach with over 12 years of experience in driving human change. She currently serves as an industry culture strategist for Procore Technologies, supporting the conversation around culture change in the construction industry.
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MODERATOR INFO
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Sasha Reed is known industrywide as a “conversation facilitator” with a combined 20-plus years of experience in construction and technology. Reed has hosted roundtables, panel discussions and podcasts, while creating platforms to spark meaningful conversations across the globe. As senior director of strategic business development, she focuses on partnerships that maximize Procore’s impact on the construction industry, beyond product development.
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Building Your Workforce Through Community Engagement


Date: |
Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 |
Register Now |
Time: |
10 a.m. ET |
Length: |
60 minutes |
Speakers: |
Aaron Haunhorst, ECI Construction Services; Marlon Mitchell, First Followers; Norman Ruano, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; Andrew Wells, Chicago Urban League |
Moderator: |
Alicia Martin, ABC Illinois |
Webinar Description
Learn strategies to put top talent on the field by engaging community and faith-based organizations. Establishing these relationships increases awareness of the merit shop philosophy and creates the opportunity for a more inclusive and diverse construction workforce. Hear from Illinois community leaders who have successfully recruited participants to ABC Illinois grant-funded training programs—achieving sustainable outcomes and strengthening trust-centered relationships in communities across the state.
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SPEAKERS INFO
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Aaron Haunhorst is president of ECI Construction Services. He has been serving the construction industry and multiple ABC chapters for over 20 years. Haunhorst has also sponsored and supported multiple pilot/veteran programs for ABC apprenticeship training since 2013. He is presently housing the current cohort for the Community Builders program in the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, area.
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Norman Ruano, deputy director of the Office of Illinois Works at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, oversees a new portfolio of programs focused on bringing equity and inclusion to the state’s construction industry and the trades. He has over 20 years of experience in the creation and implementation of construction workforce development programs for underserved community members and training programs for minority-, women- and veteran-owned construction businesses.
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Andrew J. Wells, Chicago Urban League, is an entrepreneur, executive, author, publisher and thought leader. He created and led several workforce, sales and marketing, fundraising, and business development projects for numerous for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Wells’ most notable characteristics are empowering and advocating for others. He continues to help thousands of youth and adults achieve personal growth and economic advancement by providing access to education, mentoring and employment and training.
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Marlon Mitchell is the founding executive director of FirstFollowers reentry program, in Champaign, Illinois. He is also a Ph.D. candidate in education at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. Before embarking on his doctorate journey, Mitchell worked 17 years in the electrical field. Mitchell’s passion for teaching and learning inspired him to develop a workforce development pre-apprenticeship program called GoMAD, or Go Make a Difference.
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MODERATOR INFO
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Alicia Martin is president and CEO of ABC Illinois. Before Martin joined ABC Illinois in 2007 as vice president of membership and business development, she gained experience working for the State of Illinois, providing constituent support and as a juvenile probation officer/youth advocate in Morgan County, Illinois.
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Date: |
Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 |
Register Now |
Time: |
3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) |
Length: |
60 minutes |
Speakers: |
Maria Davidson, CEO and Founder, Kojo; Chris Martinez, President, Central Electric |
Webinar Description
Good materials procurement keeps a business operating, but great procurement allows a contractor to:
- Outperform their competition
- Grow their top-line revenue at scale
- Withstand unforeseen changes in pricing and availability
- Complete more work with less overhead
- Reduce risk of errors and job delays
After interviewing thousands of contractors, Kojo identified that there are seven steps that businesses with an efficient procurement process follow. During this webinar, learn about the 7 Steps to Better Procurement, identifying common inefficiencies and opportunities to implement change. In addition, you’ll hear real-world examples on improvements to streamline procurement processes from Central Electric President Chris Martinez.
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SPEAKERS INFO
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Maria Davidson is CEO and founder of Kojo, construction’s leading materials management software. Before Kojo, she helped build 8VC, a venture fund with over $3.5 billion in assets under management and spent time as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. Davidson has been selected to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Female Founders.
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Chris Martinez is president of Central Electric. He and his brother bought Central Electric from their parents almost 10 years ago. When Martinez joined the company, there was a team of seven. Today, they boast a team of over 150 employees. He is most passionate about growing people; Central Electric is constantly working on team engagement and has an over 97% retention rate.
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Date: |
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 |
Register Now |
Time: |
3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) |
Length: |
60 minutes |
Speakers: |
Michael Dickran, Enterprise Sales Director, ExakTime & Arcoro; Hugo Ramirez, Customer Success Specialist, ExakTime & Arcoro |
Moderator: |
Patrick Scarpati, Director of Construction Technology and Innovation, ABC National |
ABC Members Only
With new changes to prevailing wage regulations that went into effect in October, proving your workers are being paid a prevailing wage on government contracts is more important than ever.
Unfortunately, tracking worker hours on government projects via paper or spreadsheets can not only make processing certified payroll a nightmare but possibly put construction companies on a path for noncompliance.
Learn how construction companies are using ExakTime to prove prevailing wage simply and effectively by:
- Easy clock in and out from the mobile app.
- A dropdown menu that allows employees to simply choose “certified payroll” for a jobsite, automatically classifying all hours worked at the site.
- Choice of “contract action” or job for each payroll site.
- A certified payroll report that lets managers review the hours worked at those sites by employee.
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Speaker Bios:
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Michael Dickran boasts an impressive career spanning over a decade in the construction industry. He’s been a driving force for thousands of contractors, helping them simplify their time collection and operational processes. With a knack for blending tech know-how with exceptional customer service, Dickran is the go-to guy for construction firms looking to streamline their operations and boost their success.
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Hugo Ramirez is a seasoned Customer Success Specialist at ExakTime, specializing in Post Onboarding check-ins and Retention strategies. With a wealth of knowledge, he serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for ExakTime, ensuring optimal client experiences and sustained satisfaction.
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Moderator Information:
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Patrick Scarpati is director of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors. In this role, Scarpati provides construction technology education to all members and chapters and researches current and future potential trends. As a licensed HVAC-R journeyperson by trade, Scarpati has led various construction technology initiatives with a general contractor and trade partner where he ensured collaboration, purpose and process were the keys to successful implementation.
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Date: |
Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023 |
Register Now |
Time: |
2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT) |
Length: |
90 minutes |
Speaker(s): |
Anirban Basu, Chief Economist, Associated Builders and Contractors |
Moderator: |
Grace Calengor, Associate Editor, Construction Executive |
Webinar Description
Crafted with commercial contractors in mind, ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu’s presentation will reflect on an unusual year—one that started with high inflation and fears of an impending recession but ultimately held steady, producing more stable growth than anticipated—and will continue with a look forward into 2024 and beyond.
As always, Basu offers insights on challenges facing the industry, sharing data and insights on labor expenses, materials pricing, market sector growth and construction spending, as well as the latest on inflation and the Fed’s efforts to engineer a soft landing and his predictions as to if and/or when we’ll actually see a recession.
Sign up for this 60-minute presentation, followed by 30 minutes of live Q&A. Questions may be submitted in advance when you register for this webinar.
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Speaker Bios:
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Anirban Basu is chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore. He is chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010. His radio show can be heard weekdays on WYPR, 88.1 FM Baltimore. He teaches History of Economic Thought at Goucher College as their Distinguished Economist in Residence.
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Date: |
Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 |
Watch Now |
Time: |
3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) |
Length: |
60 minutes |
Speaker(s): |
Speaker(s): Nick Espinosa, Security Fanatics and Nick Decker, Practice Leader, Egnyte |
Moderator: |
Matt Abeles, Vice President of Construction Technology and Innovation, ABC National |
Webinar Description
For ABC Members and Chapter Staff only.
In today’s interconnected world, the construction industry is increasingly reliant on technology and data to drive productivity and efficiency. However, this digital transformation comes with significant cybersecurity risks. With the rise of cyberthreats, it is vital for construction companies to prioritize their cybersecurity measures.
Some key takeaways include:
- Cybersecurity for construction—Understanding the unique challenges and vulnerabilities the construction industry faces in the digital landscape and learn how to protect projects, data and operations.
- Egnyte solutions for secure data management—Explore the latest innovations in secure data management from Egnyte and how these solutions can fortify your construction business against cyberthreats.
- Expert insights—Gain invaluable insights from renowned cybersecurity expert Nick Espinosa, who will share real-world experiences and strategies to mitigate cyberrisks and keep your construction company safe.
- Interactive Q&A session—Engage with industry experts during a live Q&A session to address specific cybersecurity concerns and receive personalized guidance.
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Speaker Bios:
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Nick Decker is the practice leader for construction at Egnyte. He brings experience in the construction technology and innovation space from his time at Bluebeam and Dusty Robotics. Decker originally comes from the construction and engineering industry.
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An expert in cybersecurity and network infrastructure, Nick Espinosa has consulted with clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. In 2015, he launched Security Fanatics, dedicated to designing custom cyberdefense strategies for medium to large-scale enterprise corporations. Espinosa is a member of the Forbes Technology Council, a TEDx speaker and co-author of the bestselling book “Easy Prey.”
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Moderator Information:
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Matthew Abeles is vice president of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors. In this role, Abeles spearheads efforts to integrate construction technology and innovation into all aspects of ABC’s strategic initiatives, included but not limited to total human health, industry-leading safety and workforce development. His team provides ABC members with the annual Tech Report, Tech Marketplace and Tech Alliance.
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Despite being litigated for years, the Biden administration’s NLRB has revived controversial policy from the Obama era in the form of its Representation-Case Procedures final rule. The direct final rule, issued without notice and the opportunity to comment, essentially restores provisions of the “ambush” election rule of 2014 and rescinds the remaining ABC-supported provisions of the 2019 final rule. The rule will apply to representation petitions filed on or after Dec. 26, 2023, and employers will have less time to respond to representation petitions.
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On Aug. 24, 2016, the Obama administration issued the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces (or “blacklisting”) final rule, which would have threatened federal contractors’ due process rights, injected unwarranted subjectivity and added needless and duplicative layers of bureaucracy and costs into the federal acquisition process.
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In July 2022, Congress enacted the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Division A of P.L. 117-167), which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Aug. 9, 2022.
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On Feb. 4, 2022, President Biden signed Executive Order 14063, Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects. Once implemented following a rulemaking by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council that is expected to be completed in 2023, federal agencies will require that every prime contractor and subcontractor on a federal construction project of $35 million or more performed within the United States to sign a PLA as a condition of winning a taxpayer-funded contract.
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Status
On Jan. 5, the Federal Trade Commission issued a proposed rule that would ban all noncompete agreements with limited exceptions. According to the FTC, the proposed rule would make it illegal for an employer to enter into or attempt to enter into a noncompete with a worker, maintain a noncompete with a worker, or represent to a worker, under certain circumstances, that the worker is subject to a noncompete.
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Providing quality health care benefits is a top priority for ABC and its member companies.
ABC advocates for policies that would ensure employer-sponsored coverage is strengthened and remains a viable, affordable option for millions of hardworking Americans and their families.
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On Feb. 18, 2021, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 (H.R. 1177/S. 348) to implement President Biden’s proposal on immigration reform.
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On Nov. 15, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides $550 billion in new funding to invest in America’s roads, bridges, utilities and other needs on top of baseline government infrastructure spending via existing programs and annual appropriations. Much of the IIJA funding will be distributed to states and localities and other stakeholders through discretionary grant programs; however, the Biden administration continues to promote pro-labor policies tied to IIJA dollars.
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The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Aug. 16, 2022, and provides over $270 billion in tax credits for the construction of solar, wind, hydrogen, carbon sequestration, electric vehicle charging stations and other clean energy projects.
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On Nov. 9, ABC joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of business groups in filing a lawsuit challenging the National Labor Relations Board’s Joint Employer final rule for violating the National Labor Relations Act and for acting arbitrarily and capriciously in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. Effective Feb. 26, 2024, the final rule takes an ax to the ABC-supported 2020 NLRB joint employer final rule, which provided clear criteria for companies to apply when determining status.
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In July 2020, the Council on Environmental Quality issued an ABC-supported final rule to modernize the federal environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act regulations.
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On July 21, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule, which will undo the ABC-supported provisions of the 2019 final rule promulgated under the Trump administration and reprise the 2016 Obama-era rule. The final rule becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2024, for certain employers and OSHA intends to make much of the data it collects publicly available online.
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On Oct. 27, 2021, OSHA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings, which requested information on how to implement regulations to prevent workers from hazardous heat. ABC, as a steering committee member of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, submitted comments in response to the ANPRM on Jan. 26, 2022.
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On Nov. 7, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor in opposition to a proposed rulemaking that would alter overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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President Joe Biden continues to back and support provisions in the ABC-opposed Protecting the Right to Organize Act (H.R.20/S.567), which would violate workers’ free choice and privacy rights, force unions on employees who have voted against such representation, cost millions of American jobs and threaten vital supply chains.
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